HER NAME, "MINERVA", WAS FIRST MENTIONED BY THE ETRUCANS;SHE WAS THE GODDESS OF WISDOM, ART, AND HANDICRAFTS, AND, LATER, THE GODDESS OF WAR; SHE WAS PARTICULARLY GOOD AT WEAVING. HER FATHER WAS JUPITER, AND SHE LEAPED FROM HIS BRAIN IN A FULL SUIT OF ARMOR. SHE WAS COMMONLY IDENTIFIED WITH THE GREEK ATHENA. SOME SCHOLARS BELIEVE THAT HER CULT WAS THAT OF ATHENA INTRODUCED AT ROME FROM ETRURIA. THIS IS REINFORCED BY THE FACT THAT MINERVA WAS ONE OF THE CAPITOLINE TRIAD, IN ASSOCIATION WITH JUPITER AND JUNO. HER SHRINE ON THE AVENTINE IN ROME WAS A MEETING PLACE FOR GUILDS OF CRAFTSMEN, INCLUDING AT ONE TIME DRAMATIC POETS AND ACTORS.

MINERVA IS ONLY DEPENDENT UPON HERSELF, NEVER TAKING A MATE. AN INVENTOR AND AND ALCHEMIST, SHE IS THE CREATOR OF NUMBERS, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND MEDICINES. HENCE, SHE IS ALSO A HEALING GODDESS AND A PATRONESS OF DOCTORS AND NURSES.

ALTHOUGH A WARLIKE DEITY, IT WAS DEFENSIVE WAR ONLY THAT SHE PATRONIZED, AND SHE HAD NO SYMPATHY FOR MARS LOVE OF VIOLENCE. THE ERECTION OF A TEMPLE TO MINERVA BY POMPEY OUT OF THE SPOILS OF HIS EASTERN CONQUESTS SHOWS THAT BY THEN SHE HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH THE GREEK ATHENA. UNDER THE EMPEROR DOMITIAN, WHO CLAIMED HER SPECIAL PROTECTION, THE WORSHIP OF MINERVA ATTAINED ITS GREATEST VOGUE IN ROME.

"THEY WORSHIP AS THEIR DIVINITY, MERCURY IN PARTICULAR, AND HAVE MANY IMAGES OF HIM, AND REGARD HIM AS THE INVENTOR OF ALL ARTS, THEY CONSIDER HIM THE GUIDE OF THEIR JOURNEYS AND MARCHES, AND BELIEVE HIM TO HAVE GREAT INFLUENCE OVER THE ACQUISITION OF GAIN AND MERCANTILE TRANSACTIONS. NEXT TO HIM THEY WORSHIP APOLLO, AND MARS, AND JUPITER, AND MINERVA; RESPECTING THESE DEITIES THEY HAVE FOR THE MOST PART THE SAME BELIEF AS OTHER NATIONS: THAT APOLLO AVERTS DISEASES, THAT MINERVA IMPARTS THE INVENTION OF MANUFACTURES, THAT JUPITER POSSESSES THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE HEAVENLY POWERS; THAT MARS PRESIDES OVER WARS."--CAESAR